{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"","title":"Treaty of Lisbon – Part 2: How twenty-seven nations haggled, bargained, and nearly broke","description":"Behind the closed doors of the Justus Lipsius building, diplomats from twenty-seven countries gathered under the watchful eyes of history. Some came determined, others wary, all carrying the hopes and doubts of millions. The task before them was as delicate as it was monumental: to reshape the European Union and save it from deadlock.\r\n\r\nThe Intergovernmental Conference of two thousand seven was no ordinary meeting. Each delegation arrived with their own priorities, red lines, and pressures from home. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, emerged as a central figure. Her mission was to bridge the divide between those eager for deeper integration and those determined to protect their national sovereignty. France’s Nicolas Sarkozy wanted to restore his nation’s influence after a bruising defeat in the constitutional referendum. From the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Gordon Brown entered the talks with caution, acutely aware of the Eurosceptics waiting at home.\r\n\r\nLearn more at: https://thetreatyarchive.com/treaty/treaty-of-lisbon","author_name":"The Archive Network"}